Marion NC is the county seat of McDowell County
and has as it's motto "where main street meets the mountains".
The motto is reinforced by Mount Ida, the dominant feature of the
landscape in downtown. Marion is a thriving small
city located on the eastern edge of the mountains along the Catawba
River Basin and is home to
many small industries including those that manufacture medical
supplies, lumber and paper products, electronics and transportation
equipment, tools, apparel, textiles and furniture.
Marion was planned
and built on land selected by the first McDowell County
Commissioners on March 14, 1844 at the Historic Carson House
on Buck Creek. It was not until 1845, however, that the official
name of Marion was sanctioned as the county seat by the state
legislature. The name of Marion came from Francis Marion, the
American Revolutionary War hero, known as the “Swamp Fox” and the
man upon whom the movie "The Patriot" was based. Marion is home to a number of historic buildings open
to the public, including the Historic Carson House, the
Joseph McDowell House built in 1787, and the
Marion Depot, the
oldest surviving depot on the Western Rail Line. Nearby
Lake James State Park
is only minutes away and is a popular recreational attraction for both residents and visitors
alike.
Between 1804 & 1827, McDowell County contributed to
North Carolina's gold legacy as the nation's leader in gold
production. There are still opportunities for visitors to pan for
gold in the Marion area.